


A Ship to Nowhere

by Northern_Lady



Series: Unfinished Marvel Tales [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Brothers, Hurt/Comfort, Manipulation, Mentions of Rape, Past Torture, Past Violence, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Romance, Short Chapters, Trust Issues, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-02-22 07:29:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 21,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13162191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Lady/pseuds/Northern_Lady
Summary: Forbidden to set foot on earth, Loki is bored and depressed on board the Asgardian ship. Then he hears that someone from his past is on earth. Someone he has to see. Nebula.





	1. Chapter 1

Loki was not welcome to return to earth. The nations and governments of earth were willing to shelter the people of Asgard now that their home was gone but under no conditions would Loki be allowed to return. And so he had remained on the ship in earth’s orbit. He wasn’t entirely alone. Many Asgardians remained. Thor came and went, his duties with the Avengers and with his own people kept him plenty busy. Loki didn’t really care to return to earth anyway but he wasn’t going to stay on the ship forever. He just had to find a way to leave, eventually. 

“I might have found a ship for you,” Thor told him one day after about three weeks in orbit. “Since you are so anxious to leave brother, I might have found a way to do it.” 

“How?” Loki asked. He was definitely curious about this. 

“It seems that some alien has crashed on earth. Her ship is intact and in good working order, it just needs a new power source and Stark thinks he can make one,” Thor explained. 

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. The humans are just going to let you have this ship? And what of the alien that it belonged to? Is she dead?” It was just like Thor to only tell half the tale.

“She’s not dead. She is giving her ship to Stark as payment for him to repair her mechanical arm. No one else in this system has any clue how it works but Stark and Banner can figure it out. Stark will want copies of the ship’s design but he doesn’t need the actual ship. I’m sure we can make some sort of arrangement.” 

“Mechanical arm?” Loki only knew one person with a mechanical arm. It couldn’t be her. It couldn’t. “Does she also have blue skin?” 

“How did you know that?” Thor asked, all his pride at having found his brother a ship was forgotten. 

Loki didn’t reply. He was too lost in his anxious thoughts. This alien they had found had to be Nebula and if her arm needed repair then she might be injured. She was giving up an entire ship just to get her arm repaired? No, there had to be more to the story than that. The humans probably held her prisoner because of her connection with Thanos, or to study her for science. Whatever it was, things were not as they seemed. 

“Loki, stop pacing and tell me how you are acquainted with Nebula,” Thor said. 

“So it is her,” Loki stopped and turned to face his brother. “I met her after I fell from bifrost. Tell me, how did she come to need her arm repaired? Is she injured?” 

“I do not know,” Thor said, regarding his brother curiously. “I have yet to meet her and have heard very little about her, only a few trivial details.” 

“What trivial details?” Loki said, trying not to seem desperate. 

“Her name, that her skin is blue, she has no hair, she is stronger than a human, and that Stark says she is melodramatic,” Thor said. “A melodramatic smurf.” 

“That’s not enough. I have to see her,” Loki said.

“Loki, you know you can not set foot on earth,” Thor protested. 

“I won’t need to. You can bring her to me.” 

Thor looked thoroughly confused. “For weeks you have spoken of nothing but your need to find a ship so that you could travel freely to other worlds. Now that I am offering you one, you haven’t the slightest interest in it. What does she have that you want?” 

“What?” It was Loki’s turn to be confused. 

“Nebula must hold the key to some great treasure, or is a princess and a means to power, or perhaps you left something of value in her care. Whatever it is, it is of more value to you than a ship.” Thor explained. 

Loki was hurt by his brother words though he knew they were probably deserved. “Can you bring her here or not?” 

“Not until you tell me why you must see her,” Thor said. 

“There’s nothing to tell,” Loki said, saddened and he walked away. 

***********************************

Thor accidentally dented the door when he knocked on the room where Stark and Banner were working. Bruce opened the door, took one look at the dent and shook his head. “And they say I have anger issues?” 

“How is the work coming?” Thor asked, following Banner into the room. 

“Well, we have schematics of the ship,” Tony said from where he stood in front of a computer screen. “Does your evil brother still want the ship or has he decided on some other means of planetary domination?” 

Thor ignored Stark’s comment. “I told him about the ship and he was more interested in Nebula. It seems they have met before. I would like to speak to her.” 

“I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible,” Bruce said. “Tony finished her arm this morning and she was transferred to a SHIELD facility.” 

“Is she a prisoner?” Thor supposed it would make sense that any friend of Loki’s might be a threat to earth. 

“She’s still under investigation. She mentioned that she was an adopted daughter of Thanos,” Tony explained. “Besides, the SHIELD facility is better equipped to study her physiology.” 

Somehow Thor didn’t like where this was going. “I can fly to anywhere on this planet in minutes. How do I get access to see her?” 

Tony stopped what he was doing and glanced over at Thor. “If you’re serious about visiting her, I’ll see what I can do.” 

“Yes, I am indeed serious.”


	2. Chapter 2

“It is good to see you alive and well, Phil son of Coul.” Thor said as he entered the SHIELD facility. 

“We’re glad to have you here, Thor son of Odin,” Phil said, leading the way down a long hallway past several office doors and stopping at an elevator. “Nebula is down on sublevel three.” 

The pair of them took soon exited the elevator for a dimmer more narrow hallway than the one on the upper level. Thor followed Phil into a room and saw a glass window with a view into a white room. Thor had seen this kind of room before. Humans used them for prison cells. “Is Nebula a prisoner?” He asked, not crossing the room to peer into the window just yet. 

“She’s a witness to a crime and valuable source of information. We are treating her injuries and getting what information we can from her until she is well enough to leave us,” Phil explained. 

“I see,” Thor said, then looked to the door to the right of the windowed room. “Then for what reason is that door locked from the outside?” 

“For the safety of one of our agents who she threatened to kill. Why don’t you go ahead and speak to her? I’ll wait out here.” 

Thor went to the door and unbolted the lock. He opened the door slowly and found the alien woman sitting curled up on the floor on top of a thin rubber mat. She got to her feet immediately as he entered the room, clearly on the defensive. “Fear not, I’m not here to harm you.” 

Nebula did not relax her stance. 

“I am Thor son of Odin. I believe you know my brother, Loki.” Thor said as he pushed the door shut behind him. 

Everything about Nebula’s defensive posture changed to something else that Thor could not interpret. “Is he well, you brother?” she asked. 

“He is well. He is not allowed on this planet or he would have come and spoken to you himself. He asked that I bring you to him. He’s on a ship in the orbit of this planet. If I could arrange that, would you wish to see him? ” 

“Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded, “Yes,” she said in a near whisper. 

“Do you mind telling me how you know my brother? I asked him but he failed to tell me the tale.” 

“It’s not a very interesting tale but if you can get me out of here I will tell it to you then.” Nebula said. 

“So they are holding you prisoner in spite of their claims that you are not a prisoner at all. Are they treating you well?” 

“Well enough I suppose,” she said. “I am fed and there has been no torture. Even so, I wish to leave. I would like to see Loki again. I have missed him.” 

It was then that all the pieces started to fall into place for Thor. This woman cared for Loki and apparently he cared for her too. “How long since you have seen him?” 

“Three years since Thanos sent him to retrieve the infinity stone. I heard that Loki was in a prison on Asgard. I never thought to see him again.” 

“He was in a prison and now it seems you are in a prison. Did you commit crimes for Thanos as well?” Thor asked her. 

“Yes,” Nebula admitted freely. 

Thor shook his head. What had he expected? That his brother had come to care for a lady worthy of Mjolnir? “Perhaps it is best if the both of you remain where you are,” Thor said taking a step back. 

Nebula’s face contorted with anger. “You’re exactly what he said you’d be. Self righteous and arrogant son of a-” 

Thor didn’t listen to the rest. He left the cell and shut the door behind him. 

“All finished?’ Phil asked. 

“All finished,” Thor agreed and the two of them went back down the narrow hallway to the elevator.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny chapter!!!

“You saw her and you left her there?” Loki did nothing to disguise his anger at Thor. 

“What was I to do? Steal her from SHIELD’s custody and bring her to you? The Avengers would never trust me again if I did such a thing.” Thor said, arms crossed across his chest. 

“You and your precious Avengers,” Loki spat the words at him. He paced back and forth on the bridge of the ship a few more times before turning to Thor again. “At least tell me she was well?” 

Thor nodded. “She seemed uninjured and she told me was fed and unharmed. She asked after your welfare as well.” 

“You should have told her I was dead,” Loki said. “In fact, if you aren’t going to help her be free of her human prison the best thing you can do for her is to tell her I’m dead. Go back there brother and tell her there has been some battle or a terrible explosion on the ship or…” Loki trailed off, seeing how Thor was looking at him. 

“Why would I tell her that? I was very nearly convinced you cared for this woman and now I haven’t the faintest notion what you want with her.” 

“If you thought I cared for her, why would you leave her in a human prison? Do you care for me so little?” Loki asked. 

“She commited crimes for Thanos. She freely told me that she did so. I could not justify taking her from her cell until the matter has a least been investigated.” 

Loki paced back and forth a few more times to calm himself and then he stopped and turned to speak to his brother. “There is nothing to investigate. She was never given any choice in any of the things she did.” 

Thor watched Loki, arms still crossed, for a moment longer. Then he sighed. “If you want me to help you, you’re going to have to tell me the entire story, from the beginning.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nebula ponders a bit of the past.

Nebula hated being afraid. She hated what it felt like, this sickness in the pit of her stomach and dryness in her mouth, both a signal that she was weak. She didn’t want to be weak and yet the fear wouldn’t go away. She knew the fear shouldn’t be there. These humans couldn’t best her in combat. As a species went, they weren’t very strong, but they did have weapons and technology that could hurt her. She had learned that the hard way. 

She sat curled up in the corner of her cell waiting for it to begin. They had told her that some Special Agent was on his way to ask her some questions. She knew what that meant. They were sending in their best interrogator. Travel on this planet took ages and it would be several more hours before he arrived and the pain began. And this time, there would be no respite. 

Nebula tried not to think about those days very often, the days when she had been sent by Thanos to tend the wounds of his newest prisoner and how in turn the prisoner had tended her. Now it was all she could think about. 

It had been a long battle with Gamora earlier that fateful week. Nebula was still adjusting to the use of her cybernetic eye and was still in pain from the installation when she realized she had left one of her pistols down near the dungeons earlier that week. She was wandering past the cells and her eye began bleeding. She stopped to wipe the blood with her sleeve. 

“That looks quite painful,” A voice said weakly from one of the cells. 

Nebula looked over to see a dark haired man who bleeding and bruised in multiple places. “Not as painful as all that, I think.” 

He shrugged. “I’ve had worse.” 

“You’ve had worse pain than Thanos?” She didn’t believe that for a moment. 

“Did Thanos do that to your eye?” 

“Among other things,” she admitted. 

“Why? Why hurt you but not put you in a cell?” The man asked, confused. 

“Because I can not best my sister in combat. My father wants me to win and each time she beats me, he upgrades me to make me better,” Nebula told him. 

“That’s terrible,”

It sounded like the man in the cell felt sorry for her. “Not as terrible as being locked in a cell.” She said, not wanting his pity and not wanting to leave him just yet either. 

“What’s your name?” He asked as she hadn’t left him yet and seemed to have nothing more to say. 

“Nebula.” 

“I’m Loki. Could you help me with something?” 

She took a step back. ‘I’m not going to help you escape.” 

“No, I didn’t expect you would, but I’ve hardly had anything to eat in the week since I’ve been here....” 

He did look rather worn and haggard. But why should she care about some random prisoner? 

“I know what you’re thinking. You don’t want to get involved. You have no good reason to help some criminal in a cell,” Loki said. “And you’d be right, except that I am a Prince of Asgard, son of Odin, brother of Thor. If you help me, my people will remember and will thank you for it.” 

Nebula shook her head and took another step back. She couldn’t believe the lies these prisoners would come up with just to get help. Pathetic. She left him and did not see him again for three days, this time because Thanos sent her to him. 


	5. Chapter 5

“We’ll need good ale,” Loki said, as they stood on the bridge of the ship. Thor was waiting for an explanation, a story, and Loki wasn’t ready to give it to him just yet. 

“I haven’t got any. Besides, I see no reason why I should need any. Just tell me the tale of how you came to know this woman and be done with it.” Thor said, growing impatient. 

Loki let silence fall between them. He could see no way that he could tell the entire story without seeming weak. It was bad enough that Thor had always been the better warrior but Loki knew that had Thor been in his place, a captive of Thanos, things would have turned out differently. Thanos would not have broken Thor. It was better if Thor remained ignorant of what had happened, or it would be better, if not for Nebula. 

“I was a prisoner,” Loki said, forcing the words out most unwillingly. 

“What?” Thor said, concerned and confused. 

“I was a prisoner of Thanos for several months. Nebula was sent to my cell nearly every day to tend my wounds. That is how I know her,” Loki said, hoping against hope that Thor would be content with this explanation and not ask further questions. 

Thor shook his head. He had that stupid confused look on his face and Loki knew that more questions would surely follow. “What sort of injury did you have that would need so much tending? You have always healed nearly as quickly as I do, brother.” 

Loki sighed. This was it. “The wounds of daily torture.” 

Understanding dawned on Thor’s features followed by anger then pity. “I am sorry. I should have realized…” Thor began. 

“Don’t,” Loki said, barely holding back his anger. “I do not need your pity nor do I want it.” 

“Does this mean that everything that happened at the Battle of New York, that Thanos forced you to do it with his torture?” Thor asked. 

“He didn’t force me. Not really. I gave in because I realized that I could use the tesseract, the infinity stone, against him. I only pretended to do as he asked and planned to betray him in the end.” Loki explained, angry. It was mostly the truth. He would have betrayed Thanos if he could have figured out a way to do so. He had never gotten that far in his plan. 

“Your plan to betray Thanos is hardly much better than if had you been genuinely helping him. Have you any idea how many humans were hurt or killed during your invasion?” 

“Fewer than would have been killed had Thanos gotten what he wanted,” Loki said, defensively. 

“You should have told us. You should have told us what he wanted and I would have defended you,” Thor said, hurt. 

“I don’t want you to defend me. I never did. I was supposed to be a prince of Asgard every bit as good as you, your equal. I wasn’t going to come begging for you to save me from the big bad monster.” 

“You are my equal. We simply have different strengths. If I needed help in magic or in devising a plan to trick our enemies I wouldn’t hesitate to ask you for help. There would have been no shame in asking my help with a monster who hunted you.” 

Loki wasn’t sure that he agreed with Thor on that. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s done with now.” 

“Yes, but this matter with Nebula is not finished yet. You said Thanos sent her to you to tend your wounds? She is his daughter. How did you come to trust her? Or perhaps you were not aware she was his daughter…” 

“Oh, I was aware,” Loki explained. “She told me who she was and I didn’t trust her. I thought to use her as a means to escape. In the end, I couldn’t do it.” 

“Now this tale is getting interesting. I almost wish we did have some ale.”


	6. Chapter 6

Nebula’s arms were cuffed to the table with some sort of wire cable. It was a very strong wire. Too strong for her to break without damaging her newly repaired arm. She sat alone in the room for only a short time before the door opened and a very small older woman entered. This was Agent West, the person who was going to get the truth out of her? She didn’t look the least bit intimidating. 

The older woman took a seat across from Nebula, brushed a stray cat hair off the shoulder of her purple blouse, adjusted her glasses, and placed a folder on the table between them. “I understand you are the daughter of Thanos?” 

Nebula just stared. She’d already told them this. Did they really need to rehash the same questions over and over again? 

“Fine, we’ll get straight to the point then,” Agent West said, “The sooner you tell me what I need to know. The sooner we can be done with this business.” 

“And then I am free to go?” Nebula asked. Why should she tell them anything otherwise? 

“That depends. However, if you cooperate, your stay with us will be more pleasant than it will if you resist us.” She said. 

Nebula started to laugh. She couldn’t help it. It was all so stupid. Nebula had been briefly worried that they would resort to torture but that was obviously not going to happen. This tiny woman couldn’t hurt her. None of these humans could really hurt her without multiple weapons and if she really wanted to break her arm, Nebula could free herself from the restraints and fight her way out. They would never expect that. This SHIELD place was a joke. These people were more interested in being compassionate to their prisoner than in actual justice. They knew nothing of true pain. Which meant that Nebula had been cooperating with them all along. She could have hurt these humans and she hadn’t done that. She had waited patiently and let them do things their way and now they come at her with threats? 

“Do you find this amusing?” West said, peering down over her glasses. “You are in very serious trouble here. I suggest you cut out the laughing and explain what exactly you know about Thanos and his plans for the future!” 

“You want me to tell you Thanos plans?” Nebula reigned in her mad laughter. 

“If you don’t tell me willingly, we have ways of making you talk.” West said. 

Nebula resisted the urge to start laughing again. “His plans are no secret. He wants the infinity stones. He wants them above all else. If he thinks that any of them can be found here, nothing will stop him from finding it.” 

“I see,” West said, but she didn’t sound convinced. 

“No, I don’t think you do see. Thanos is one of the most powerful beings you’ll ever meet. If he comes here, NOTHING will stop him.” 

“Is that a threat? Are you threatening to unleash your father on us if we don’t let you go?” 

“What? No! My father would never come here for me. If you wanted to kill me, he’d just let me die. He has no use for me anymore.” Nebula said honestly. 

“When he did have use for you, what did he ask you to do? Tell me about that.” 

“Training. I had lots of training. Most of it was about learning how to fight, how to fly ships, how to use computers, sometimes he’d send me to steal things for him,” Nebula said. 

“Did he ask you to kill people?” West asked in a condescending tone. 

“Of course. I was training to be an assassin. I can’t exactly do that without killing people. I never killed anyone from this planet if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

“It was one of our concerns, yes. Were you aware of Thanos plans to invade earth not long ago? What part did you play in that?” 

“I was aware of it. I was aware that my father planned to send Loki for the tesseract but I played no part in it.” 

“I don’t see why I should believe that,” West said. “You’ve just told me that you stole for Thanos and killed for him. Why would you not aid him in finding his most important artifact?” 

“You don’t get it. I never wanted to do those things for him. Loki never wanted to either, for that matter. We didn’t have a choice.” 

Agent West raised an eyebrow. “I find that difficult to believe. I am told that you are quite strong and skilled in combat. And Loki is a god. Neither of you did anything you weren’t willing to do.” 

Nebula shrugged. “Believe whatever you want.” 

“I won’t have to,” West reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device. “This tool will allow us to see your memories on that screen over there. So you will sit still and allow me to put it on your forehead. In a short time we can see for ourselves everything that has happened and this whole matter can be put to rest.” 

“Fine. Get on with it then,” Nebula said through gritted teeth. She had nothing to hide.


	7. Chapter 7

The drinking horns had been gathered. The ale had been poured. Thor and Loki sat in Loki’s chambers on the ship. 

“I was captured by Thanos just days after I fell from the bifrost,” Loki began. It was a little easier to tell this tale if he had a drink. “Or rather, by some of his soldiers. They said I was trespassing on palace grounds but I was a stranger and had no way of knowing I was in the wrong place. Anyhow, his soldiers were far from ordinary and a number of them ganged up and dragged me off to a prison cell. I might have remained there unnoticed had I not used magic to try and escape. I was captured a second time and this time, dragged before Thanos because someone thought that my abilities might be of use to him.” 

“You didn’t tell him who you were, did you?” Thor gulped down some more ale. “That would be just like you, to go in there boasting about being a prince of Asgard and son of Odin…” 

“No, that would be like you. At first. I intended to tell him nothing at all. I was thrown down at the foot of his throne and he sat there demanding that I tell him where I learned magic and what I could do with it. I tried evasive answers at first. I didn’t know Thanos, who he was or what he wanted, and I thought it best not to give out too much information. He didn’t like that very much….I have been injured in battle before but before that day, I had never known such pain. The fact that he would resort to such tactics didn’t make me want to tell him anything but after an hour or two I told him, I told him who I was and how I came to know magic. I thought it couldn’t hurt to tell him. It wasn’t important information anyhow…” 

“But telling him only made things worse,” Thor said, understanding where the story was going. 

“It did. He became convinced that Asgard had an infinity stone. I don’t know where he got that idea but he wouldn’t let it go, and he wouldn’t stop… he wouldn’t stop…” Loki took another drink of his ale. “And then SHE came along. Nebula came to my cell when I was barely conscious. She sewed up my open wounds, took away the bandages on my burned skin and replaced it with clean ones, and she fed me when I was too weak to eat. The first few times she came, I was in too much pain to really be aware of her but after a few days, Thanos was called away to deal with some other matter and he didn’t get the chance to injure me as much as normal. This time when she came, I could actually speak to her.” 

 

“What did you say?” 

“I told her she was a terrible nurse. That my stitches were crooked, my bandages were coming loose, and for god’s sake to stop spilling the food she was trying to feed to me.” Loki said, amused at the memory. 

********************************************

“Well, maybe if you would hold still and stop being such a terrible patient, I could be a better nurse!” Nebula had retorted. 

“You’ve never done this before have you?” Loki asked. “You’re not trained to be a healer.” 

“You are my first patient. My father sent me to look after you,” Nebula told him. 

“You’re the daughter of a healer?” Loki asked, still weak from his injuries and slightly confused. 

“No, I’m the daughter of Thanos. He said it was time that I learn how to heal injuries as well as give them. He said it might be an important skill to have someday.” 

“It looks as if you’ll get a lot of practice before he’s done with me,” Loki said bitterly. 

“You won’t be here long. Not if you’re really a prince like you said. Your people will come for you. Or was that just some lie you came up with so I’d help you escape?” 

“It wasn’t a lie, but no one is coming for me. I’ve left that life behind for good now.” 

“Why? Nebula asked as she pulled away a bandage and took some skin with it. 

“Do be careful!” Loki scolded. 

“Sorry. But why would you leave being a prince behind?” 

“I was only an adopted prince. It was never real. My brother is the real heir to the throne. It doesn’t matter now anyway.” 

“How sad for you,” Nebula said, her tone tinged with sarcasm. “Poor little prince raised in a palace with every luxury is only an ordinary wealthy man instead.” 

“When you put it like that…” Loki said, abashed. “It was certainly better than being here, anyhow.” 

“Your bandages are done,” Nebula said, picking up a bowl of food. “Can you eat this yourself or does the prince need someone to feed it to him?” 

Loki snatched the bowl out of her hands. Nebula got to her feet. “You could at least be grateful that I brought you food like you asked. My father didn’t order me to do that.” 

There was anger on Loki’s face for a moment but he took a breath and the anger faded. “My thanks to you.” 

Nebula nodded. “Tomorrow, I will bring a book for you. Our Great Library has a small section of Asgardian Literature. I can’t read that language so there’s no telling what you’ll get.” 

“I’ll try to be thankful anyhow,” Loki said. 

Nebula nodded a second time and she left the cell. She wandered down the long corridor, up the long staircase and through another hallway before returning to the throne room. Thanos turned his floating throne to her as she entered the room. 

“Has the prisoner spoken to you?” Thanos asked. 

“He spoke of his home and little else.” Nebula told him. 

“Good. He must see you as an ally. Find out where the stone is. He knows. I am sure of it. Do not fail me in this.” 

“I won’t fail you. I won’t,” Nebula said with all sincerity.


	8. Chapter 8

“Pause the memory,” Agent West spoke loudly, drawing Nebula away from her thoughts. 

Nebula didn’t know how it work but she opened her eyes and to her right saw an image of herself of the screen. An image of herself exiting Thanos throne room all those years ago. 

“You told me you weren’t involved in the invasion of earth,” Agent West said accusingly. “Clearly, by your own memories, Thanos wanted you involved.” 

“I wasn’t involved, not really, just continue the memory and see for yourself,” Nebula said. 

“Fine. Continue with the next time you saw Loki,” West said. 

Nebula’s memories were brought back to that time through no will of her own. 

Nebula approached Loki’s cell carrying some Asgardian book. She unlocked the door and judging by the state of him, Loki was in no condition to read anything. One eye was swollen shut and since he was shirtless, it was clear that he had broken ribs and had been whipped. 

“Jarl did quite a number on you today, I’d say,” Nebula said, kneeling at his side with her bag of medical supplies and the book. 

“He did,” Loki muttered. “Why does your father dole out the torture duties to one of his guards? Why not do it himself?” 

“Because he would kill you if he did it himself. You’re still of use to him right now. If he gets tired of you maybe he will inflict the pain himself.” Nebula said quite honestly. 

Loki fell silent while Nebula washed one of the lashes and tried to put salve on it. He watched her intently while she worked and after a few minutes her caught her hand. Nebula wrenched her hand away, ever defensive, before realizing that he had meant it as a kindness. 

“Why are you really here?” Loki asked her. “Does Thanos expect that I will tell you something that I haven’t told him?” 

“I think he is testing me. That is why I’m here.” 

“And if you fail this test what will he do to you? Give you a new eye?” Loki asked, he sounded more curious than concerned. 

“Perhaps,” Nebula admitted. 

“I could help you,” Loki said. 

“If I help you escape, you mean?” Nebula asked, shaking her head. “It’s not going to happen.” 

Loki nodded. “Well, I had to at least mention the possibility.” 

“It’s an impossibility.” 

“It doesn’t have to be. I have skill with magic. I could help you hide from him where he’d never find you,” Loki offered. 

“I don’t want to hide from him,” Nebula said, angry. “That’s the last thing I want.” 

“You want him dead,” Loki said with realization. 

Nebula didn’t reply to that, “I brought bread and cheese. And this book as well.” 

Loki picked up the book and looked at it strangely. “I know this book. It is a collection of children’s stories. My mother used to read it to me.” 

Nebula got to her feet as if to flee from his emotion. “I must go. I can bring you a different book tomorrow if this one is too...sentimental.” 

“No, this is fine.” 

She took a step back to leave, 

“Goodbye Nebula.” 

She stared at him for a moment. “Until tomorrow.”


	9. Chapter 9

“I think I understand,” Thor said, pouring himself another cup of ale. “You grew attached to Nebula because she was your only kindness in that horrible place.” 

“Something like that, yes. The thing is, I knew Thanos was using her against me. I knew it and she knew but neither of us realized what he was really doing until it was too late. I thought he wanted her to get information from me. I thought she would try to get to me with kindness or seduction but Nebula was skilled in neither one. I never expected things to go as they did.” 

“Let me guess, she fell in love with you, tried to help you escape, there was a great battle, the both of you were caught and punished?” Thor said. 

“No,” Loki said. “You’ve had too much to drink.” 

“If it wasn’t that then, she tried to stop Thanos from torturing you, there was a great battle, and you were thrown back into your cell?” 

“No. Will you let me continue?” Loki said, annoyed with his brother’s near drunkenness. 

“I have it. You fell in love with her, and she revealed it was all a ruse, there was a great battle and…” Thor didn’t seem to know what should come next. 

“No, no there were no great battles. No heroics on my part. Only failure.” 

“What sort of failure?” Thor said, finally letting Loki continue. 

“She came to me every day. At first she was cold and distant but after awhile I could see that there was pity her eyes. I didn’t want her pity. I hate pity. But her pity was far better than the pain that took up the rest of my days. And after a while, her gentle touch trying to tend my wounds was the only thing I had left to live for.” Loki remembered sadly. “Then one day she came to me and I could see that she was injured herself. She tried to hide it, tried to deny it at first, but there was a bruise on her face and marks on her arms where someone had held her down…” 

“Someone forced her into their bed,” Thor said, understanding what Loki was implying. 

“One of her father’s guards. She eventually admitted what had happened. When she told me, I was not expecting to feel the rage I felt about it. I was so angry that in my weakened state, I got up and went to the door of the cell. I don’t know if I thought I would tear it open in my rage. I don’t know what I expected but I had lost all rationality.” 

***********************************************

“Loki, what are you doing?” Nebula said, worried. 

“I have to get out of here. I have to get out!” 

“You know I can’t help you with that,” She reminded hm. 

“Fine, then at least convince that guard to come here and see me,” he said, demanded really. 

Nebula’s eyes widened. “You would avenge me?” 

He looked down. “Why not? I know your father means to use you against me but you have not harmed me. You have done nothing but help. You do not deserve such treatment from anyone.” 

Nebula’s unaltered eye filled with tears. She took a step back, overcome by the confusing emotions within her. “I’m fine,” she said, stoically. “I walked away with a few bruises. Nothing more.” 

Loki reached out and touched her bruised cheek. She let him. She didn’t flee his touch. She didn’t flee the emotions of that moment. She wasn’t even aware that her tears were running down his hand or that she was leaning in to his touch. “You’re not fine.” He said and he stepped closer and he hugged her. 

Then Nebula did something that she couldn’t remember ever doing. She hugged him in return. 

Some hours later Nebula was on her way into the throne room to update her father. She heard voices speaking there. It was THAT guard and her father. 

“I did as you asked my lord.” The guard said. “I took her to my bed and gave her visible bruises. May I ask to what end I have done this?” 

“You may not but you will be paid for your deed. Speak with the treasurer for your fees.” Thanos said. His voice was followed by the sound of footsteps as the guard left. 

Nebula did her best to not let her anger and horror show on her face as she approached the throne to give her father his update on Loki. She was not going to tell father she had hugged Loki. Never.


	10. Chapter 10

“Why didn’t you tell your father that you allowed Loki to hug you?” West had stopped the memory display once again to continue her questions. “Wouldn’t he want to know that you were earning the trust of your prisoner?” 

“I wasn’t sure what he wanted at that point. I knew he wanted to hurt me so I would seek Loki’s comfort or perhaps just so Loki would feel protective of me. All I knew was that whatever Thanos was trying to do, it was probably working and I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had succeeded.” 

“Nebula, do you hate your father?” Agent West asked. 

The question made Nebula angry. How did this woman not already know the answer to that question, after everything she already seen from Nebula’s memories. “Of course I hate him. I hate him more than anything. The only thing that keeps me from ending my own life is the consuming desire to someday watch him die.” 

“I don’t think that’s the only thing that you have chosen to live for,” West said matter of factly. 

Nebula raised an eyebrow. “You know me so well, do you?” 

“I know people. Knowing people is my job, my life’s work. Anger and hatred isn’t usually enough to keep suicidal people alive. There has to be hope. You care about something other than this revenge of yours. I am curious to know what it is. For now, please continue with your memories.” 

**************************************

For some reason that she couldn’t define, Nebula hadn’t wanted to see Loki the day after she had hugged him. She knew she didn’t really have a choice though and went to his cell anyway at the appointed time. He was in bad shape when she unlocked the door, worse than usual. The whole cell smelled of burned flesh. She knelt at his side and found that his left arm and half his torso had been badly burned. Loki was barely conscious. 

“What did he do to you this time?” She asked, getting out her salves and bandages. If the Asgardian didn’t heal so well on his own, her treatments wouldn’t have helped him all that much. All she did was sew open wounds and help to dull the pain. 

“Jarl built a great fire and hung me over it with chains,” Loki said weakly. “I was out of reach of the flames when it began. As the hours passed he added more and more fuel until it reached me.” 

Nebula opened her jar of salve and began to apply it where the burned skin met the healthy skin near the middle of his chest. “My father always gets what he wants, you know? Whatever it is he’s trying to learn from you, you should just tell him and spare yourself the pain.” 

Loki looked saddened at her words. “That’s the first time you’ve done that, tried to get me to cooperate with Thanos, I mean.” 

“That’s not what I’m doing. I’m just being truthful. He will win in the end. If you want to stay and be tortured a while longer it’s nothing to me.” Her words were a lie. She didn’t like seeing his pain but it was better for everyone if she pretended not to care. 

Loki shook his head. “I don’t think you are being truthful at all.” 

“You’re calling me a liar?” 

“I can see the worry in your eyes when you tend my wounds. You aren’t as heartless as you pretend to be,” Loki said. 

“I’m not pretending. I really don’t care,” She got to her feet, ready to leave him to tend his own wounds. 

“You know you’re really not very good at this?” Loki said before she could leave him. “If you were sent here to get information from me, and I know you were, the proper way to do it would be to earn my trust. You should have told me to confess because you didn’t want to see me hurt.” 

“I know that. I’m not stupid. I also know that you’re not stupid either and if I had claimed to worry about your welfare you wouldn’t have believed it.” 

“But you are worried about my welfare?” 

“Yes,” Nebula admitted almost against her will. “I do not wish to speak of this anymore. I will stay and tend your burns if you promise to speak of something else. Tell me more about Asgard and this brother you hate so much.” 

“I will, if you well tell me of this sister you have who beat you in combat.” 

Nebula nodded agreement and went back to his side to help tend his burns.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, violence ahead. Also, I am making an effort not to be too predictable so hopefully this story isn't going where you think it is going.

“For the next four nights, after that night when I was badly burned, Nebula stayed in my cell far longer than was strictly necessary to tend my wounds,” Loki told Thor who had set aside his ale in favor of listening to the story. 

“What did the two of you do in that time?” Thor asked. 

“Not what you’re thinking brother. I didn’t trust her and she didn’t trust me. We talked. We were both lonely and both hurting in our own way. She sat on the floor of my cell for a few hours each day. We talked of our families, sometimes she read to me if I was in too much pain for conversation, and sometimes she just sat there in silence, as if she were afraid to go back out into the world.” 

“Perhaps she truly was too afraid. You said Thanos tore out her eye and gave her a new one. And clearly Thanos guards were not kind to her. Perhaps she felt safer with you.” Thor offered as explanation. 

“I don’t know what she felt. She wasn’t one to speak of feelings. I for one felt guilty. I meant to use her to escape. I was almost sure I could have done it. She’d responded well enough to the comfort I offered her the night that guard took her that I knew she could be manipulated to help me, given enough time. So I was kind to her those four nights. I was kind and she was emotionless and distant. She tried to be anyway, but her emotions were written all over her face.” Loki told Thor. “She was entertained by the tales I told of Asgard. She was relieved to tell me of her sister. And she enjoyed being treated with kindness for once in her life. It was easy to be kind to her. She was so broken, as broken as I was. And she was just as afraid that I would betray her as I was that she would betray me…” 

“But you did not betray her?” Thor asked concerned. 

“No. It never came to that. On the fifth day I was dragged to the throne room for my usual interrogation and this time she was there. I knew something was about to happen. Something very bad.” 

*****************************

Nebula didn’t know why she had been called to the throne room that day. Usually her days were fairly regimented. The message from her father to leave training and present herself to the throne was an unusual one. 

“You sent for me father?” Nebula said, approaching the throne. 

“The time has come to end this business with the Asgardian prisoner,” Thanos said. 

Nebula wasn’t sure what he was intending but whatever it was had her worried. Then she heard footsteps behind her and turned towards the sound. Two guards were dragging Loki in and they threw him down on the floor in front of her, at Thanos feet. 

“Rise prisoner,” Thanos said. 

Loki got his feet with difficulty since his hands were bound behind his back. His gaze met Nebula’s as he stood and she found confusion and concern there. 

“Today, you will give me as I ask.” Thanos said. 

“That’s what you said yesterday and like I told you then, I can not give you something that doesn’t exist. Asgard does not have this stone you seek.” Loki said, but he didn’t sound defiant, he sounded broken and sad. 

“I know,” Thanos said, his voice deep and the words more sinister than usual. 

“What? If you knew then why…?” Loki asked, lost. 

“Because I needed to see how much you could handle, Loki Laufeyson. I needed to test your strength so that when I did find the stone, I could be sure you would be the one to retrieve it for me. I have found it. You will take the world where it is located and you will bring the stone to me.” 

Loki stood there a moment, stunned, trying to process Thanos words. “Why would I help you now?” 

Thanos did not reply to Loki’s question. “Nebula, come forward.” 

Nebula approached the throne warily. 

“I gave you an impossible task. There was never a Stone on Asgard, never any information this prince could have given you. Even so, you will be the one who ensures that the stone is retrieved. There will be pain, but you will be making a most worthy sacrifice.” Thanos told her.  
“What sacrifice?” Nebula asked, somewhat horrified. 

Thanos got down from his throne and stood in front of Nebula, towering over her. He reached out his giant hand and took her jaw in his hand, almost gently at first as if it were a gesture of affection. Then he tightened his grip and tore her cybernetic jaw from her face, taking skin and flesh and even a little bone with it. 

Nebula dropped to the floor screaming and Loki was held back by the guards as he instinctively tried to go to her. The guards pulled him a few feet back, Thanos returned to his throne and motioned to someone in the back of the room. Two people came forward with a stretcher and healing supplies. They set to work on Nebula and the room quieted. 

“Put her jaw back as it should be, healers, and when you are done, put her in the cell with the Asgardian,” Thanos said. He gaze moved to Loki. “You will not be interrogated today. You will tend my daughter’s wounds and when she is healed we will meet here again. Then you will either agree to my plan, or decide which of you is to be interrogated.”


	12. Chapter 12

“I waited in my cell for hours,” Loki continued telling Thor his story. “When they finally brought her she had to be carried in. She’d been sewn up and wasn’t awake. I didn’t expect she would be very happy when she finally did wake up, given what Thanos had just done and where she now found herself. And I honestly didn’t know what to do next. I didn’t have a plan anymore.” 

“That’s not like you brother. You always have a plan.” 

“It’s not, but seeing such violence as I had that day disturbed me greatly. I have seen violence in battle, as have you. And I had experienced enough of my own pain under Thanos by then to know that he was a ruthless leader. But if a man could treat his own daughter with such cruelty...I knew that he would stop at nothing to force me to do his bidding.” 

“Then that was why he treated her as he did, to break you with his display of violence against his own child.” Thor said. 

Loki nodded. “It worked. I knew even as I watched Nebula unconscious and broken from her injury that there was no hope of escape, no hope of doing anything but exactly what Thanos told me to do. Maybe I could find some way to keep the stone from him, to betray him in the end, but I didn’t hold out much hope even for that. Watching her in that cell...I knew it was over. He won.” 

 

*******************************

“I couldn’t speak when I woke up in Loki’s cell,” Nebula told Agent West who was apparently taking a break for lunch but not offering Nebula any food. “My jaw was sewn shut. Being unable to speak was probably more terrifying to me than being locked in a cell. I was pretty sure Loki wouldn’t hurt me. In fact, he looked rather like he was worried about me.” 

“Maybe he was worried about the choices Thanos had forced on him,” West unhelpfully pointed out. 

“His choice was already made. He told me as soon as I woke up that he would obey Thanos.” Nebula explained. 

“Then he was worried because he cared for you?” 

“If you mean romantically, I don’t think so. At least he never said so. He did care about me somehow, that became clear before it was over.” Nebula said thoughtfully. 

“And you care for him somehow too, don’t you?” West said, as if she had discovered some great truth. 

“How I feel about Loki has nothing to do with the invasion of earth. It’s not relevant to what you need to know,” Nebula protested. 

“If you don’t want to tell me about it, we’ll resume playing the memories.,” 

****************************

Those first hours of Nebula’s recovery Loki spent pacing the floor of his cell. She was awake and unable to speak and he simply didn’t know how to play this reversal of roles. He was no healer and she should never have been a victim. Nebula drifted in and out of sleep until finally she dragged herself to her feet, went to Loki, and put her hand on his arm. He stopped pacing. 

“You shouldn’t be up. You should be resting,” He said. 

She shook her head no, cringing with pain as she did so. 

“Right, all my pacing is keeping you awake” Loki said, understanding. “I’ll stop. Just try and rest.” 

Nebula went back to her blanket on the floor, curled up on her side and Loki sat down on the floor not far away. She had no pillow and no matter how she tried to position herself there was pain. After Nebula had turned over and rearranged herself for the upteenth time she did something she never wanted or expected. She started to cry. For a moment Loki seemed at a loss on what to do. He sat with his back to the wall of the cell unsure of his next move. 

“Nebula,” He finally broke the silence. “Come over here. If you rest your head against my shoulder there might be less pain.” 

She sat up and stared at him looking skeptical. 

“You helped me with my pain, let me help you with yours?” Loki said. 

Almost reluctantly, Nebula moved to sit next to him and then she leaned close enough to let her temple rest against his shoulder. 

“Does that help?” Loki asked. 

She nodded and her eyes drifted shut to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

“For two days, Nebula did little else but sleep. She awoke from time to time long enough to drink from a straw and then she fell back into sleep, always against my shoulder,” Loki continued telling Thor the rest of his story. “On the third day she was delirious with fever and it was clear that the wound along her jaw was infected. I tried to summon the guards to send for healers to help her. I hoped that Thanos would at least care enough for his daughter that he would do something to keep her alive.” 

“I can’t imagine the guards cared for your request,” Thor said. 

“They didn’t. I don’t think they ever told Thanos how ill she was. I truly thought she might die. The cell where we were kept was not a warm place by any means and with her fever, she could not seem to stop shivering. The skin and veins on her neck changed color as her infection spread and the guards repeatedly ignored my requests to send help for her. I thought the only thing I could do for her was try to keep her warm and hope that she could fight it on her own. My magic was limited in that cell. They had some sort of device outside the cell that kept most of my magic at bay but when I had been tortured I had tried to access enough of my magic to aid a little in my own healing and found that it helped, I could heal a little, but it also caused me further pain to use it with that device turned on. By the time I realized that Nebula was gravely ill, most of my own injuries were already healed. And so I tried using my magic to help her,” Loki explained. 

“The fact that she is still living tells me that your magic must have worked.” 

“It did, but it wasn’t easy. The pain was manageable but my magic was so weakened by their device that I had to try the spells again and again to be of any use to her. In the end, I had to keep her close to me. She was so cold and there was only one blanket and besides that, if I went too long without whispering the incantations, her infection would worsen. So I pulled her into my lap, covered her with the blanket and every time she woke me with pain or delirium or nightmares, I would try again to heal her.” 

*******************************

“This memory of yours doesn’t make any sense,” Agent west said, a little frustrated. “What is going on here?” 

“I was ill. I had an infection and was dying.” Nebula explained. “It doesn’t all make sense to me either. My memories of that time were confused by the fever.” 

“It looks as if you were quite comfortable being so close to him,” West said accusingly. 

“Why shouldn’t I have been? My fever was so high and the cell was so cold that I felt as if I were freezing. He was keeping me warm and he was healing me, I could feel it on occasion when I became conscious enough to truly be aware of my surroundings. He was helping me. Of course I was comfortable.” 

“No, it was more than just that. Look,” West pointed at the screen. “You were clinging to his shirt and the way he is holding you is not like a doctor and patient relationship. He cared for you.” 

“I already told you that he did, that he cared somehow. Why does it matter?” 

“Maybe it doesn’t matter. It’s simply a factor that will help us understand your role in the invasion of earth.” West said, matter of factly. 

“I played no role. Continue this and see for yourself” 

********************************

Nebula did cling to Loki as she struggled to survive the infection inflicted on her as result of Thanos cruelty. She wasn’t fully aware of how long she was ill or of anything going on around her. At some point the fever and the pain were reduced enough that she finally understood what was happening. Loki was healing her and she became aware enough of her surroundings to realize that healing her was causing him pain. 

No one had ever done anything like that for her before. She was sure that neither her father nor her sister would ever willingly experience pain to keep her alive. Loki could have simply let her die. He had already accepted the fact that he would have to obey Thanos. There was no sense in keeping her alive just so she could be tortured in his place. Maybe he thought Thanos would punish him for letting her die or maybe he actually cared if she lived. Judging by the way he was holding her, his arms around her almost protectively, she could almost believe that it was the latter. 

At some point the stitches that had sewn shut her jaw dissolved while she slept. Nebula awoke from another fitful nap to find that she could speak. She pulled away from him enough to look up at him. “Loki?” She said weakly, and not without pain at the movement.

“You can speak?” Loki said, a little surprised, moving so that his arms were no longer around her. 

She nodded, wanting to save her words. 

“But it hurts you to speak,” He continued, understanding. “At any rate, your fever is lower, your skin looks much better. I think you’ll be alright soon.” 

“Thank you,” she said, a few tears spilling from her eye. 

He nodded, seeming rather relieved. “It was nothing,” he said. 

She shook her head. “It hurt you to heal me.” 

“It didn’t hurt nearly so much as Thanos did. Besides, I couldn’t have simply sat here and watched you die.”

“Why?” Nebula asked him, thoroughly confused. 

“It’s just not something I was willing to do,” Loki gave as a reply. 

Nebula still didn’t understand but she was exhausted from the effort of speaking and so she lay her head back against Loki’s chest as before when she had been feverish. And even though she was no longer shivering with chills Loki put his arms around her anyhow, the both of them doing this just because they wanted to.


	14. Chapter 14

“There is something I must know,” Thor asked Loki. The hour had grown late, the ale was gone and Thor was regarding Loki curiously. “Did you love her, Brother?” 

“I don’t know,” Loki said sadly. “I think perhaps I could have, had I known her longer. We barely had a few hours of rest after her fever broke when Thanos sent for us. We were taken to the throne room and all I could think about was the nagging fear that he would not keep his word. He would resume the torture on one of us or both of us. I didn’t want Nebula to see my fear. He did as he promised through. He offered me a choice, I could obey or chose which of us was to endure more pain. I chose to obey. Two guards grabbed my arms to take me away right at that moment but before they could drag me out, Nebula had something to say.” 

**************************

“Father, wait!” Nebula said as she watched them take Loki away. 

Thanos raised a hand and the guards stopped all movement. “What do you wish to ask of me?” 

She looked torn on what to say. Her eyes met Loki’s for a moment and then she turned to her father. “Send me with him. I can help him take this world. I can help him bring you the stone. I made your sacrifice as you asked. Send me with him.” She said, boldly. “I will not fail you.” 

Loki seemed concerned at her request, concerned and maybe hopeful. 

“The Other will be the one to oversee this task. You will remain here. I have other plans for you.” Thanos said. 

Nebula watched as Loki was dragged away. She tried her very best to remain stoic as he left but he could not help but see the tears on her face. 

*****************************

“Why did you ask that of your father?” Agent West asked Nebula. The small woman was clearly unhappy. “You have claimed all along that you were not involved in the invasion of earth but clearly you wanted to be involved.” 

“I didn’t care about stupid invasion. I just wanted to get away from Thanos.” She said, annoyed. 

“You wanted to get away from Thanos? Or you wanted to be close to Loki? Or you did want to invade earth because you wanted to hurt someone after all your suffering? Which was it? Tell me the truth. Your answer will help us decide your fate. If you lie, that device on your head will tell me. It can’t tell me the truth beyond showing me your memories but it can tell me when you lie. Be careful what you say next.” 

Nebula hesitated in answering the question. “I wanted both. I wanted to get away from Thanos and I wanted to go with Loki. I cared nothing for earth. My feelings about this world were entirely neutral.” 

“Hmmm…” West said thoughtfully. “Well then, I will go over your data and a decision will be made.” 

**************************

“I never saw her again after that day,” Loki said. “I must see her now. Any crimes she commited she did because Thanos hurt her and gave her no choice. Do you really trust that those imbeciles in SHIELD will be able see she is not at fault?” 

“I don’t think they are all imbeciles...but I do see your point,” Thor said. 

Loki sighed. “If you won’t help her, then I will go to earth myself and see to it that she is freed.” 

“If you do, there will be consequences.” Thor said, still thinking over the matter. 

“Consequences be damned!” 

“I will return to earth and find out what SHIELD plans to do with her. If they will not help her, then I will find a way to bring her to you. First we should give the humans a chance to do the right thing on their own.” 

Loki huffed a breath. “Those people wouldn’t know the right thing if it was on the tip of their nose.” 

“Perhaps,” Thor agreed. “Let’s just give them a little time.”


	15. Chapter 15

“Well I have good news and I have bad news,” Phil Coulson was standing in a conference room with Thor. “The good news is, Agent West believes that Nebula is clear of any involvement in the invasion of earth. The bad news is, West believes that Nebula is suffering from severe PTSD and would like put her in a mental hospital for treatment.” 

“What is this PTSD?” 

“Post traumatic stress disorder. Nebula has been through a lot of suffering. Even discounting all the things she suffered under Thanos, she only recently survived the crash of a spaceship. That ship was in bad shape when we found it and she was injured in the crash. The fact is, she is an alien with superior strength to humans and we can’t risk someone as unstable as she is wandering freely among us. She needs to get a little help first.” Phil explained. 

“She would not be able to harm an Asgardian. I could bring her to the ship. It would keep the people of earth safe and allow her some freedom.” 

“That’s the other thing. Agent West has recommended to the government authorities that Nebula and Loki not be reunited. She has concerns that together, the two of them would cause trouble. I have been trying, but so far I haven’t been able to convince my superiors that she is wrong. My hands are tied.” Phil said. 

Thor was beginning to think that Loki might have been right all along. “May I at least see her?” 

“I can get you ten minutes.” 

Thor followed Coulson into the room where Nebula sat with her arms shackled to a table. “Why does she wear these restraints?” Thor asked as soon as he had entered the room. 

“Like I said before, it’s for the safety of our agents.” 

“When will she be freed from them?” 

“Since she can’t hurt you…”Phil passed Thor a key, “Go ahead.” 

Thor went to Nebula and unlocked the restraints. She was silent but Thor could see what Loki had meant about her. Nebula’s emotions were plainly displayed on her face. She was grateful he had freed her and she was wary about his visit. 

“I have spoken to my brother about you,” Thor told her. “He sent this for you.” He placed a book on the table in front of her, a book of Asgardian children’s stories. 

Nebula reached out and touched the book gently with her hand. It wasn’t the same book they had shared, of course. That copy was long gone but it was a similar volume. Thor could see that she was overcome with emotion even though she spoke not a word. 

“Should I tell Loki you are well?” Thor asked her. 

She shook her head. “I’ll tell him myself.” 

Thor knew in that moment that Nebula intended to fight her way out rather than submit to SHIELDs plan for her. He wasn’t sure when she planned to do it, only that she would definitely make an attempt. He turned to Coulson. “Your plans for her are not going to work. If SHIELD goes through with this, it will end badly. Release her to me and we can avoid all of that.” 

“Like I said before, the decision is out of my hands.’ 

“Then speak to the people who have the authority to make this decision. Tell them that Loki will not keep to his agreement if Nebula is kept in custody. He will come for her if you force him to. Is that what you want?” 

“I think you’ll find that the people of earth don’t take very kindly to threats,” Phil said, unmoved by Thor’s speech. 

‘It’s not a threat. I am trying to spare lives. There is no need for your people to get hurt over this.” 

Phil thought about Thor’s words a moment. “I’m gonna go make some calls.” He left the two of them alone. 

“Loki said that?” Nebula asked him. 

Thor nodded. “He did, more or less. He sent me to bring you to him. I hope to do it peacefully.” 

“I thought you didn’t want to help me because I am a criminal?” 

“You made me believe you were. Had you explained the whole truth from the beginning I would not have walked away. As it stands now, if Coulson can not convince his people to free you, I will help you leave this place. In exchange you have to try not to hurt these people during your escape.” Thor told her. 

Nebula nodded. “Agreed.”


	16. Chapter 16

Loki sat on the bridge of the Asgardian ship waiting. He had been waiting for hours but it had seemed more like days. Thor had promised he would either return or send news as soon as he could but thus far he had done neither. One of the consoles lit up and a message was displayed. It was a request for transport to board the ship. 

“That’s odd,” Loki said aloud to no one but himself. Thor would have been able to fly back to the ship. He didn’t need one of those transporter beams to return to him. Loki sent a reply requesting the messenger identify themselves. A name displayed on the screen. This was even stranger than Loki had expected. The name was Captain Steve Rogers. Loki approved the transport and got up to head to the transporter room and see what it was that Rogers wanted. 

Rogers was already there waiting by the time Loki reached the room. “I just spoke to Thor,” Rogers said without preamble. “Things are not good down there.” 

“What has happened?” Loki asked. 

“SHIELD won’t release Nebula to Thor’s custody. They say she mentally unstable. Phil Coulson put in a request to the UN that Nebula be transferred to the custody of Asgard but the UN doesn’t do anything quickly. For now Thor is staying with her at the SHIELD facility. He found her shackled to a table when he arrived and decided he’d stay and make sure they treat her well.” 

“And he sent you to give me this message?” Loki asked, unsure why Rogers would do anything to help if it were to Loki’s benefit. 

“I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right. I’ve never liked you and never would have helped before today. The fact is, what SHIELD is doing is wrong. They have no right to keep Nebula any longer. She should have her freedom now.” 

“At least we agree on something,” Loki said. 

“Thor told me what Thanos did to you, to both you and Nebula. Maybe I judged you too harshly before,” Steve told him. “If you’ll let me, I think I can help get Nebula out of that place.” 

“You needn’t help me because you feel sorry for me,” Loki didn’t want that at all. “Besides, Thor can free her just fine on his own.” 

“Thor can free himself just fine on his own, sure. The bullets from human guns can’t hurt him. I don’t think we have anything on earth that can kill him. But Nebula can be hurt. Tony Stark ran a few scans while he repaired her arm. He told told us that she’s pretty resilient. Her more recent cybernetic implants help her heal quickly but bullets from human guns could bruise her, and our world does have weapons powerful enough to kill her. Getting her out unharmed isn’t gonna be easy.” Steve explained. 

“What is it you think you can do to help?” 

“I know you can use your magic to disguise yourself. Can you disguise other people too?” Rogers asked. 

“I can,” Loki said, wondering if Steve was suggesting what he seemed to be suggesting. 

“Good. Then I’ll let you borrow my shield. I’ll wait on the ship. You just need to show me how to use that transporter beam.” 

Loki grinned. “That is a good trick. It seems we have more in common than I thought.”


	17. Chapter 17

In the form of Steve Rogers, Loki had no trouble entering the SHIELD facility. They let him in past all the security checkpoints without any problems whatsoever. He knew he would have to work quickly. His magic had never been as powerful on Midgard as it was on Asgard. Still, he knew he could make this work if Thor didn’t ruin it. Steve had already told Thor of this plan, something Loki would not have done of his own free will. It would have been better if Thor was unaware. Nebula had not been made aware of the plan. There was no place inside the SHIELD facility that was free of cameras where anyone could tell her. Loki followed the Agent down to the third sublevel where he was headed on the pretext of bringing an upgrade for Nebula’s arm made for her by Stark. Surprisingly, Coulson was allowing him to bring her the upgrade. 

Loki entered the cell and found his brother sitting on the floor in one corner and Nebula sat in the other corner. She looked nearly the same as he remembered her. He was forced to use his magic to keep his emotions from showing on his disguised face. 

“Captain Rogers,” Thor said getting too his feet, a little too happy to see him. 

“Thor,” Loki said with a respectful nod. “I’ve brought something from Stark.” He looked to Nebula, “With your permission ma’am, I’d like to install this upgrade.” 

Nebula looked to Thor with questions on her face. “Do you trust this man?” 

“Yes. His upgrade will not harm you.” 

“Go ahead then,” Nebula said, giving him permission. 

Loki went to her and knelt down, taking her hand. He put a small chip in her arm which wasn’t an upgrade at all but was meant to send an update to Nebula’s eye, explaining the plan to her. Just moments after the chip had been inserted, she responded with a gasp, and she looked up at Loki as if she were trying to find some resemblance of him in the face of Steve Rogers. 

“Are you alright?” Loki asked her. 

She nodded, biting back her emotion. Loki got to his feet and turned to Thor. Thor nodded and flung his cape over his shoulder, obscuring the view of the security cameras for mere seconds. Loki used those seconds to pass Nebula the shield and to change all of their appearances. To anyone watching, it looked as if Steve and Thor left Nebula alone in her cell but instead, Loki and Nebula left Thor in the cell. They walked calmly out of the facility and once they were out of the range of SHIELD’s dampening fields and other monitoring equipment, they were beamed back up to the ship. 

Loki changed their appearances back to normal the moment they were safe on the ship. That meant that back on earth, SHIELD would be aware that they had Thor in a cell and that Nebula was gone. Loki wasn’t worried about Thor. He would be just fine. Loki turned to Nebula who was overcome with emotion. 

“Your brother said you would come for me,” She said. 

Loki nodded. “There was nothing that could have stopped me.”   
Nebula started to cry and without hesitation she stepped closer and hugged Loki. He hugged her in return, not wanting to ever let her go. 

The real Captain Steve Rogers entered the transporter room, breaking apart their hug. “If you don’t mind. I think it’s time I get back to earth now.” 

“Of course, and thank you for your assistance.” Loki, going to a nearby console to transport the Captain home. 

“No problem. It’s what I’m here for.” The Captain disappeared.

Loki turned his attention back to Nebula. “There is something I must show you. Follow me?” 

Nebula followed Loki back to his chambers. He reached down under his bed and pulled out a box. He whispered a few incantations to open the box. 

“Where did you get that?” Nebula said, aghast at the sight of the glowing blue cube inside. 

“I got it on Asgard, ironically. Tell me what I should do with it. I have been asking myself that question for weeks and I simply don’t have the answer. Tell me?” Loki asked her.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another tiny, but long awaited chapter.

Nebula stared at the box with trepidation. She didn’t know the answer to Loki’s question. She didn’t want to even look at it. “Close the box,” She said anxiously, not wanting to even touch it. “Please, just close it.” 

He nodded and closed the box. Even with the box closed she continued to gaze at the closed lid. “Nebula?” Loki said gently. “Forgive me, I shouldn’t have shown you that. Don’t look at it anymore.” 

She tore her gaze from the box and looked to Loki, finally beginning to accept that he was really there. 

“I have missed you,” Loki told her sadly. “I never thought to see you again. I thought Thanos would have killed you by now with all his cruelty.” 

“I have missed you as well,” Nebula said, realizing that those were probably the most sentimental words she had ever said to anyone. 

“Did Thanos harm you further after I left?” Loki asked her. 

“Do you really need to ask?” She replied. 

“I suppose not. I suppose it would be unlike him to be kind to you.” 

“It would be unlike anyone to be kind to me. You were the only person who ever was.” 

“My kindness wasn’t genuine at first.” Loki told her. 

“I know that. I know that at first all you wanted was to escape even if you had to use me to do it. At the time, I didn’t care. It was just nice to talk to someone who wouldn’t hurt me and didn’t expect me to prove anything...and then later...when you healed me...it was a kindness I have never forgotten.” 

“I did not like to see you hurt, especially after you offered me my only comfort after all the torment each day.” 

Nebula fell silent a moment. “What will we do now?” 

Loki did not reply at first. He reached out and gently placed a hand on her jaw. “There’s not even any scars,” He finally said. 

With his hand on her face, Nebula couldn’t help but lean into his touch just a little. She reached out and touched a place on his neck where Thanos had once given him a particularly deep wound, “Nor for you either.” 

And then he kissed her.


	19. Chapter 19

It was the first time Nebula had spent an entire night in any man’s bed. She had been invited to bed by a few of her father’s guards in the past. They had flattered her enough, and flirted with her enough, that she had accepted their invitation. She was a woman with needs after all. Most of them annoyed her though and she left their beds to never return again. Loki was different. She woke up in his arms with no desire to flee. In fact she desired much the opposite, to never be away from him. She would never say so out loud of course and if he tried to send her away she would try to pretend that she was agreeable to the idea but she didn’t want to leave him, not ever. 

Loki stirred awake shortly after she did. “You’re still here…” He said, and he tightened his arms around her just enough that she knew he didn’t want her to leave any more than she wanted to go. 

They soon heard raucous laughter from somewhere outside Loki’s chambers. “Thor has returned,” Loki said, annoyed. “I suppose we should go and speak with him.” 

“Not about the stone?” Nebula asked, concerned. 

Loki stopped moving to leave the bed. “Not about the stone. So you agree we should return it to Thanos?” 

Nebula shook her head. “If we give it to Thanos he will become so powerful we would never have any hope of killing him.” 

“There’s no hope for that anyhow,” Loki said. “The only hope is to escape with our lives by gaining his favor.” 

“If the tales your brother told me while we waited in that cell are true, then Thor is our hope of beating Thanos. If anyone can kill Thanos, it is him.” Nebula said. 

Loki looked hurt at those words. Then angry. “You would ask my brother to save you?” 

“No. I would not ask him anything. I would leave the stone somewhere that Thor will find it and let fate take us where it will.” 

“Fate? Fate is far too unpredictable. If we do as you say, and Thor does not beat Thanos when he comes for the stone, he will punish us for disobedience. Or if Thor does win and he discovers that I had the stone all this time, he will never forgive me. And if Thor does manage to kill Thanos, he will have your admiration...and he doesn’t deserve it.” 

“Loki, since we were parted I learned that my sister Gamora is not entirely what I thought she was. Maybe with your brother it will be the same. Maybe you can learn to trust him, but not if you hide the truth from him.” Nebula told him. 

Loki looked torn by her words. He got up from the bed and started getting dressed. Nebula did the same. When they were both ready she joined him near the door where he had his hand on a console with the button to open the door. “Promise me you will say nothing about what I have showed you?” Loki said. 

Nebula was saddened by his request. How could he not see that the only real hope was his own brother? “I promise,” she said because as much as she didn’t like it, she didn’t want to hurt Loki.


	20. Chapter 20

“I simply told them I was leaving and not to try and stop me,” Thor was saying as Loki and Nebula entered the room. 

“I can’t imagine any of them tried, did they?” Sif said, amused at his story as the rest of the Asgardians listening. 

“They were all but trembling in fear. Though truthfully I did not want their fear.” Thor said. 

“No, you’re far too noble for that,” Loki said, irritated. 

Thor stopped speaking and gave Loki a look. If Thor was hurt by Loki’s sarcasm he did not show it. His gaze fell to Nebula. “We are preparing a great feast this morning in honor of your arrival.” 

“My arrival?” Nebula asked. “No one has ever given me a feast before…” 

“Not even to celebrate the day of your birth?” Thor asked. 

“No. Never. You need not prepare any feasts on my account. Really.” 

“Nonsense. Any friend of Loki’s is a friend of Asgard. We will take any excuse to celebrate,” Thor said. “Lady Sif is baking some of the pies herself. You must join us.” 

“If Sif is baking I should think we’d best not eat it,” Loki said. Most of the bystanders laughed at his joke while Sif was not truly insulted because all of them knew that she was no baker. 

“I thought it time to learn new things,” Sif said. “But I’m not making any promises on the quality of my pies.” 

“So you see, you must join us. If not, it would be an insult to Sif’s efforts to learn a new skill.” Thor said. 

“Then, I thank you,” Nebula spoke up uncomfortably. “I will be happy to join you.” 

Loki was pretty sure that Nebula hadn’t truly meant what she said. She was making an effort at being polite to the people who sheltered her. Loki followed the others to a large room in the ship that served as their great hall. Some of the feast was already laid out on the table. Sif left them to join the work in the kitchen. Since when did she cook, anyhow? Then Loki remembered that Thor had once mentioned that Jane Foster could cook. That must have been what caused this new desire of hers to learn domestic arts. Thor was an idiot if he could not see that Sif cared for him. 

Throughout the whole feast affair Loki was irritated and angry. The Asgardians were very friendly with Nebula. They included her in their story telling, continually offered her new foods and ale. They asked for stories of her own feats of battle. And eventually, when Nebula had drunk enough ale, one of Thor’s jests made her laugh. Loki almost left the feats right then and there. He had never seen her laugh in all the weeks had known her and it was for Thor’s joke that she laughed. He knew it was a petty thing to be angry about but the fact that she had already suggested that Thor could save them from Thanos didn’t help matters. 

The feast lasted through much of the day. It was the way Asgardians always feasted. By the time it was over Nebula was well and truly drunk. Her cybernetic implants were not enough to stop the effects of Asgardian ale. The hour was late. The hall had almost entirely cleared of people when Nebula tried to get to her feet. 

“Where are you going?” Loki asked her. He had not drunk nearly so much as she had. 

“I must sleep...but...where is my bed?” She asked, or more like mumbled. “I suppose I am I to be tucked away in some room alone.” 

“No,” Loki said, “You needn’t be alone. You may return to my chambers if you wish.” 

“I have wished for nothing else all day,” Nebula blurted out. 

Loki didn’t know what to say. Nebula turned away from him and began to drunkenly stumble out of the great hall. Thor sat not three seats away with an amused look on his face as he watched Loki and Nebula. 

“She might fall trying to walk the distance like that,” Thor spoke up. “Perhaps brother, you’d best carry her.” 

“Perhaps I will,” Loki said and carried Nebula all the way back to his chambers.


	21. Chapter 21

Loki had a nightmare that night. He’d had many nightmares since his ordeal with Thanos but thus far had been able to keep them secret. No one knew of the dreams that haunted him. Loki woke that night sitting upright and screaming. A layer of sweat covered his skin. He found that Nebula was sitting upright as well watching him with concerned eyes. 

“You dream of Thanos as well?” She asked him, putting a comforting hand on his arm.

“Yes,” He said, still trying to catch his breath. “I have these past three years. Sometimes I dream of what he did to me and sometimes I dream of what he did to you.” 

“My dreams are the same,” Nebula told him. “And I can not shake the fear that those dreams will become reality once again.” 

“They won’t,” Loki said firmly. “They won’t. We will find a way to survive him. I know it, we just have to be more clever than usual.” 

“Is it enough to survive him? Why not try to beat him?” 

“No one can beat him or stop him. You told me so yourself,” Loki reminded her. 

“That was before…” Nebula trailed off, seeing the look on his face. 

“Before you met Thor,” Loki finished the words for her bitterly. “I will not give him the satisfaction of being the one to save you.” 

“I don’t want anyone to save me,” Nebula said irritated with him. “I did not come to your bed because I expected you to rescue me. I am not that kind of a woman.” 

“I know you did not expect it. I am simply tired of watching Thor take everything that should have been mine.” 

All the irritation on Nebula’s face faded away. “Thor is not going to take me from you. He could kill Thanos a thousand times over and it would not make me enjoy his company as I do yours.” 

“Truly?” Loki asked, touched by her words. 

“Truly,” Nebula nodded. 

Loki sighed. “Even if you are right and we keep the stone from Thanos rather than offer it to him, Thor will be angry with me. As much as I hate him, he is still my brother and learning the truth will make him hate me in return.” 

“Even if that is true, your brother’s hatred is still better than death by Thanos,” Nebula told him. 

“I’m not so sure it is better,” Loki said sadly. 

“Then this hatred of yours has been a ruse,” Nebula realized. “You don’t hate your brother. You care for him. You don’t want him to be disappointed in you.” 

“He already is. It’s too late for that.” 

Nebula fell silent a moment. “If it means anything at all, I am not disappointed in you. Whatever you decide to do with the tesseract can not change that.” 

“It does mean something,” Loki told her. “It means everything.” 

The two of them lay back down again to try and sleep and the room fell silent. 

“Loki?” Nebula spoke in the darkness. 

“What is it?” 

“Can we sleep sitting up, like we did in the cell when I was ill?” She asked him, emotion in her voice. 

“I suppose we could, if that’s what you want.” 

“It is,” Nebula said as she and Loki sat up and he pulled her into his lap where she curled up against his chest as she did when she had been ill. 

He didn’t understand why she had asked to sleep like this. It wasn’t exactly comfortable and the way she was clinging to him did not fit in with her claims that she didn’t want to be rescued. Even so, he had no complaints and soon fell into sound sleep with no more nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yes, there will be consequences of sorts for taking Nebula from SHIELD's custody as they did. Updates on that are coming soon.


	22. Chapter 22

Loki woke the next morning to the sound of loud pounding knocking on his chamber door. He was still sitting upright with Nebula curled up against him but since both of them were clothed he called out, “Enter!” 

The door opened and Thor burst in, smiling on finding the pair of them sitting as they were. His smile quickly faded. “We have a problem. Stark is here.” 

Loki sighed and Nebula moved to sit on the bed beside him. “What does he want?” 

“Remember I told you there would be consequences if you set foot on earth? I am quite sure he is here to inform us of what they are. He waits in the transporter room. The both of you should come and speak with him.” 

Tony Stark was indeed waiting in the transporter room and was wearing his Ironman suit with the facemask open. “Reindeer Games, Smurf, God of Thunder,” He nodded in greeting. “What’s with the long wait? Your security guy told me you’d be here soon when I transported in. It’s been forty four minutes.” 

“My apologies,” Thor said. “Some of us had far too much to drink last night. The message took some time to get to me.” 

“Yeah, I heard there was quite the feast yesterday. Your man sort of let that news slip out while I was waiting. Huge party and I wasn’t invited. I’d be hurt except I’m not so sure my association with criminals would be a good thing for my public image.” 

“Just tell us the bad news, Stark,” Thor said. “That is why you are here, is it not?” 

Tony nodded. “Phil Coulson sent me. He’s a good guy. He’s kinda upset that you guys took his prisoner the way you did. It really makes him look bad. What I need from you is some sort of statement. See we know Loki was involved. He’s not on the security cameras but we know it was him. At this point, the only way earth is going to continue to shelter the people of Asgard is if their King is willing to punish criminals appropriately.” 

“What? You’re saying I have to make a show of punishing Loki? But I was there too when Nebula was taken from the cell. I am as guilty as he his.” Thor protested. 

“Not according to the footage. At least it doesn’t have to be that way. Officially, we can frame it that you had no knowledge of this plan,” Stark said. “On the other hand, if you did have knowledge of this plan, there’s not much we can do for you or your people.” 

“You are asking me to decide between telling lies and punishing my brother or keep my people sheltered?” Thor said, clearly not liking the decision that had been thrust upon him. 

“It sucks being king, doesn’t it?” Tony said. “But hey, at least your brother got his crazy girlfriend back so you’ve got that going for you.” 

“She is not crazy,” Loki spoke up for the first time. 

“Ah, but she is your girlfriend. I knew there had to be a reason you’d go to all this trouble.” Tony said. 

“Coulson did not tell you?” Thor asked, realizing that Tony hadn’t been informed of any of the details. He himself had only spoken to Steve about the situation. The chip they have brought to Nebula had been made on the ship by one of his own people. Apparently no one had told Tony what was going on at all. All Tony knew of Nebula was whatever he had learned in the short time he spent fixing her arm. 

“He told me there was a past connection with Loki and Nebula. That she was there when he knew Thanos. I already knew she was his daughter. He hasn’t got any reason to lie.” Tony explained. 

“He spoke the truth,” Thor said, “But it is not as simple as that.” 

“Sounds pretty simple to me. Sounds like your brother tricked or manipulated you into helping to rescue his girlfriend,” Tony said. “Not exactly your best diplomatic decision.” 

“My brother is one of my people just as all the others are,” Thor said defensively. “I have as much duty to him as I do to the rest.” 

“Your brother is a criminal who led an invasion to earth,” Tony said. “He shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near this planet. I don’t know what the hell you were thinking Thor but now that it’s done, you’re gonna have to deal with the fact that either he leaves, or all of you leave!” 

Thor looked hurt and angry. “Then we will all leave.” 

Judging by the look on Tony’s face, he hadn’t expected that answer. “You know I thought you cared about defending the people of earth. I guess I was wrong.” 

“Thor will still defend earth,” Loki said, unable to believe what was happening. Thor had chosen to defend Loki above all else? It didn’t make any sense and Loki didn’t feel worthy of it. “I will leave of my own accord if you will give me a ship.” 

“No, you will not leave,” Thor said. “I will not cast you out or have you punished over this.” 

“Don’t be stupid Thor. It would be best for everyone if he just leaves and takes her with him,” Tony said. “Earth deserves being defended more than he does.” 

Nebula couldn’t take listening to this Tony Stark fellow any longer. She hadn’t liked him all that much when he’d been fixing her arm. She was quite sure she hated him now. She could hardly hold back the words that came to the surface at that moment. “How dare you judge Loki as if you know him or what he deserves?” Nebula said through gritted teeth. 

“Let me guess,” Stark crossed his arms, “You’ve got some sob story all about how Loki is actually a really great guy? You know what, no one cares what Eva Braun thought of Hitler.” 

Nebula had no idea what Stark was talking about. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t finished yet. “You know nothing. You were not there to change his bandages when Thanos hung him from chains over a great fire and had him burned for hours. You were not there when Loki had so much flesh torn from his bones that I could not find all the pieces to sew him back together.” She said, her voice breaking. “For a hundred and fifty four days I tended wounds given to him by Thanos that would have killed any of your people. How many days would you have held out to torture such as that?” 

Tony looked disturbed at her words. “I don’t know. Not so many,” he admitted. “You know, you could have mentioned that there was torture involved rather than let me stand here and argue like an idiot.”  
Thor grinned. “No, I rather prefer you arguing like an idiot. It suits you.” 

“Well, what you’ve just told me changes things,” Tony said. “I’m gonna go back and see what can be done about it.” 

Once Stark was gone, Loki turned to Thor. “You could have just as easily sent me away as defend me,” he pointed out. 

“I could not,” Thor said. “I never even considered it.” 

“Then I thank you.” Loki said, grateful and wondering for the first time if perhaps Nebula was right. Maybe Thor would forgive him for hiding the tesseract.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like my readers are no longer enjoying this story as I've stopped getting feedback. Only a few more chapters to finish this, I think. I do hope people are still enjoying the tale I am telling.


	23. Chapter 23

After Tony Stark had returned to earth, and after they had all breakfasted that morning, Nebula went alone to one of the bathrooms. She stopped in front of one of the mirrors before leaving and gazed at her reflection. What she saw there disgusted her. Multiple cybernetic implants were visible. One eye did not entirely match the other if she looked closely enough. And while the women of many worlds had long locks of hair, she had none. She could not fathom how Loki could stand to touch her let alone seem to care about her. It didn’t make any sense. 

On her way to return to Loki and a group of his people in the great hall, Nebula passed what seemed to be a training room. There were swords and shields and other weapons on the walls. It was evidence that these people did spend time training for battle. Nebula tensed as she felt someone come up behind her. 

“Would you like to join our training?” 

Nebula recognized Sif’s voice and relaxed her stance. “Perhaps another time,” Nebula said. She preferred to watch these people a little longer and learn their methods before trying to spar with them. 

“As you wish,” Sif said. 

Nebula left her feeling relieved. No one here expected her to prove anything. She did not have to be a great warrior and she did not need to know how to cook. There was no mission for her to carry out. No target to assassinate. The only thing to do here was simply, live. It was a most welcome change. 

Nebula returned to the great hall and had nearly reached the table where Thor and Loki and a few others were sitting when a great pain began to pierce behind her cybernetic eye. The pain radiated from her eye into the rest of her head, then down her spine, sending her limbs into convulsions. She collapsed to the floor unable to control what was happening to her body, unable to control the screams. Only moments later, Loki was at her side, followed by Thor. 

“What’s wrong with her?” She heard Thor ask. 

“I do not know. I am taking her to the medical bay.” Loki said. 

She felt his arms pick her up but the pain was so great that it hardly brought any comfort. She was dimly aware of leaving the great hall when everything went dark for her as she passed out of consciousness.

**********************************

“I don’t know how to help her. I’m sorry,” Said Naethan, one of their healers. 

Nebula was laid out on one of the beds and Loki and Thor waited for some explanation or for something to be done about her. 

“As far as I can see, there is some problem with her implants. Some malfunction. Her problem is not physical.” Naethan continued. 

“What about, Klybe?” Thor asked. “Klybe made the chip that we used when we took her from her cell. Perhaps he has the knowledge to help her.” 

“I will find him,” Loki said and immediately left to look for the man. He found Klybe in his chambers still asleep. “Wake up man, your help is needed!” Loki didn’t wait for the man to wake. He pulled him from his bed by the arm. 

“Alright alright, I’m awake!” Klybe said. “What the hell is going on?” 

“There is something wrong with Nebula. Her implants are causing her pain. She is not conscious. You are the only one here who knows anything about cybernetics.” 

Klybe shook his head. “No, I really don’t. I know about computers, that all, I swear it. I don’t know a thing about cybernetics.” 

“At least come and try?” Loki said, trying not to sound desperate. 

Klybe followed him back to the medbay but it was as he promised. There was nothing he could do for her. 

“I will try my magic,” Loki said, and he moved his hands over her to cast a spell. 

“Her vitals are dropping!” Naethan said. “I think you’d best not do that.” 

Loki stopped. “Then the only choice is Stark.” He said and turned to Thor. “How do I contact him?” 

“I already did that while you went to fetch Klybe. He does not want to get involved.” Thor said. 

“Then I will make him get involved!” Loki said. 

“Loki… you can’t...You could force him to come here but you can not force him to help her without resorting to tactics that were used on you. Is that really what you want?” 

“No.” Loki admitted, deflated. “Perhaps, I could just talk to him?” 

“He is in a meeting with some high ranking people right now, trying to convince them to let us stay. You can’t talk to him until that is finished. In the meantime, it could be that she will recover on her own.” Thor said, hopefully. 

“It could be,” Loki said, not really believing it. He sat down in a chair near Nebula’s bed and took her hand. He hated that there was nothing he could do but wait.


	24. Chapter 24

Hours passed while Loki sat at Nebula’s side and waited. Naethan had left to tend another patient and Thor had been summoned to return to earth and give a statement to Stark’s people. A nearby console lit up and beeped. It was a video message. Loki didn’t care to cross the room and answer it. He stayed where he was. 

“Hey, Reindeer Games. I can see you. I have news.” Stark’s voice broke him from his thoughts. 

Reluctantly, Loki let go of Nebula’s hand and went to the console. “What is it?” 

“Well, the meeting went well. Your brother spoke like a true politician. They’ll let you and your people stay under the condition that dampening fields be installed on the ship so you can’t use any magic there, even in space, and you still can’t visit earth,” Tony told him. 

“Fine,” Loki said, not really caring if he could stay or under what conditions. His mind was on other things. 

“How is she?” Tony asked. “Your girlfriend?” 

“Why do you care? I thought you didn’t want to get involved.” 

“It was more like I couldn’t get involved until the meeting was over and a decision was made. And now, until the dampening fields get installed, no humans are supposed to be visiting your ship.” 

“That’s convenient. You can claim to be concerned but can’t do anything to help,” Loki said. 

“That’s not exactly true. If you’ve got any medical scans or any data you can send me, I’ll take a look. Maybe I can figure it out from my lab.” Tony offered. 

“I’ll send everything I have right away,” Loki agreed. 

******************************

Nebula felt herself waking up somewhere strange but familiar. She was curled up on the floor and the convulsions had finally stopped. It was Thanos throne room but it lacked the usual smell of the nearby firepits and the cold air that he liked so well. It was if she were there, but not really there, her senses were dulled somehow. 

“Nebula?” A booming voice spoke. It was him, Thanos. 

Nebula scurried to her feet and turned to face him. “Father? How did I get here?” She was angry that he had somehow taken her away from Loki. 

“In truth, you are not here. Only your mind is here. You have betrayed me daughter. You have been in proximity of an infinity stone. Your eye sent me the signal as soon as you saw it. The source of your signal I have yet to find. The galaxy is vast. It could take weeks to find your signal. Save yourself some pain and tell me where you are,” Thanos said. 

“I can not,” Nebula said, struggling to remain standing and not give in to her fear. 

“Then you will suffer the consequences.”


	25. Chapter 25

It wasn’t terribly difficult for Tony Stark to figure out the basic problem of what had caused Nebula to have a seizure and slip into a coma. He looked over the data for less than an hour before he discovered the cause of her condition. 

“Someone has hacked into her system,” Tony told Thor who waited nearby with arms crossed, pretending not to be worried. “Someone very far away has complete control of her cybernetic parts.” 

“Thanos,” Thor said, understanding. 

“Probably, but why?” Tony said. 

‘Perhaps to use her for some purpose of his. To spy on her activities. The important thing is, can you free her of his control?” Thor wanted to know. 

“I’m gonna need Banner to help on this, but...maybe.” Tony admitted. 

“Loki will not like to hear that you are unsure,” Thor said sadly. 

“Then don’t tell him. He’s not exactly rational where she is concerned and if I can’t free her...if Thanos discovers that she is with Loki and the rest of the Asgardians, and if he knows that Asgard was the last place to have the tesseract, he’ll come looking for it...so if I can’t free her, we’re gonna have to find some other way to keep Thanos from learning what she knows. It’s best if you don’t tell Loki.” 

“You are saying that we would resort to killing her rather than let Thanos spy through her?” Thor did not like this at all. 

“I’m not saying it will ever come to that. But there are millions of people’s lives at stake. If Thanos thinks that your people have the tesseract, I’m not willing to let everyone die just to save one woman. That’s why you shouldn’t tell Loki. I’m thinking he’d go to pretty great lengths to save her.” 

“I see your point but we don’t even know that it is Thanos or what he has already learned. Besides, I can not hide the truth from my brother,” Thor said. 

“Why not? He wouldn’t hesitate to hide the truth from you,” Stark said. “Look, I get that he was tortured by Thanos and wasn’t given any choice in the invasion of earth but there is a reason that you are worthy of the hammer and he is not. Loki isn’t as honorable as you are. He will use tricks and lies if it benefits him. You can’t let it come to that over this. Too many lives are at stake.” 

“I will not lie to him but I can wait a while longer to reveal the truth.” 

“Wait, what’s this?” Stark was staring at the code on the screen in front of him. 

“What have you found?” Thor asked. 

“She sent a message days ago. She sent a message into deep space,” Tony said and turned to Thor. “Maybe Loki isn’t the only one who will resort to lies and tricks.” 

“Keep looking for a way to help her. I will go and speak to Loki about this.” 

“That’s a bad idea,” Stark said. “You really shouldn’t tell him anything.” 

“It’s not for you to decide,” Thor argued. 

“Yeah, I think it is, when the people of earth are at risk, I do get a say.” 

Thor walked away, not wanting to argue with Stark any longer. He went outside and flew straight back to the ship.


	26. Chapter 26

Thor found Loki sitting in the medbay at Nebula’s side looking exhausted. 

“When did you last sleep?” Thor asked as he entered the room. 

“I don’t know. It matters not. I’m fine.” 

Thor didn’t believe for a moment that Loki was fine. “Tell me brother, truthfully, is there any reason that Nebula would still be loyal to Thanos?” 

“No, Never. She hates Thanos and wants him dead. Her desire to see him dead has nearly consumed her. Why is this relevant?” 

“Because Stark tells me that days ago she sent a signal into deep space,” Thor told his brother. 

Loki tore his gaze from Nebula and looked up at Thor. “You believe she spies for Thanos?” Loki asked, hurt and angry. 

“Perhaps not, perhaps she only meant to lure him here where she hoped the Avengers could kill him,” Thor said, trying to be optimistic. 

“That would be very unlike her. She is not one for trickery and espionage. She is far more reckless than that. She would gladly go charging into battle against Thanos but she would not lure him to his his death.” 

“Then I don’t understand what could have happened,” Thor said. “Stark says that someone has taken over her system. Someone very far away has full control of her cybernetic parts. It makes no sense for it to be anyone but Thanos.” 

“And do the Avengers plan to do about this?” Loki asked wary. He was too smart to not realize that this information put Nebula at risk. 

“To end it somehow.” 

“To end it? You mean kill her?” Loki didn’t really need to ask. 

The console on the other side of the room lit up once again. “Thor?” Tony’s voice spoke to them. “I assume you’ve already given your brother the full update?” 

“I have.” Thor said. 

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Tony said. “It’s not too late to fix this. I think I might have found a way to try and unplug her, so to speak.” 

“I found it, actually.” Banner butted in. “And I don’t think we should do it. It might not turn out well for her if we do.” 

“We don’t even know for sure that it is Thanos that has done this to her,” Thor said. “Nebula has made other enemies in her time. It is too soon to do anything that could harm her.” 

“She already is being harmed,” Stark said. “Whatever is going on with her right now, there are simulations of pain. Someone is hurting her. It’s only a matter of time before they get whatever it is that they’re looking for. Thanos probably thinks your people have the tesseract. This needs to end before he comes here looking for it.” 

“There is nothing for him to find.” Thor protested. “Surely he can look into her mind and find that to be true.” 

“No, he can’t,” Loki said sadly. 

“Actually, I think he can,” Bruce told them. “That guy is pretty powerful and the code we’re seeing here...he’s got full access to her mind.” 

“So it is only a matter of time,” Thor said. “He will discover that she knows nothing and let her go.” 

“He won’t,” Loki said, more frustrated this time. “He will never let her go.” 

“I agree,” Stark said. “Which is why we need you to bring us that chip in her arm, the one you gave her when you broke her out of the SHIELD facility. I can modify it, use it to end this.” 

“Brother, I must show you something,” Loki said, and he reached over and switched off the console, ending the call with Bruce and Tony. “Come with me?”


	27. Chapter 27

Loki brought Thor to his chambers but he did not immediately know how to find the words for what he needed to tell his brother. He paced the room a few times and Thor watched him, patient and worried. 

“What is it that you must show me?” Thor finally asked. 

Knowing no other alternative, Loki reached under his bed and pulled out the box. He didn’t need to open it. Thor recognized it as a secure box from Asgard used for important artifacts. “I’m sorry,” Loki said. “Thanos will not stop because Nebula knows what I know. She knows where to find the tesseract.” 

“You’ve had it all this time?” 

“I have.” Loki said. 

“And did you plan to give it to Thanos or was that her idea?” Thor asked, angry and hurt. “She must have sent him a message soon after she knew you had it.” 

“No, she didn’t. She tried more than once to convince me to give the stone to you. She believed that if anyone could defeat Thanos it was you. I was too stubborn and too proud to agree with her.” 

“And you are sure she did not send that message to lure him here so I could kill him?” Thor asked. 

“I’m not,” Loki admitted. “I only know that I will not let Stark unplug her as he plans. I will not allow him to do anything that might harm her. If I have to, I will deliver Thanos the stone myself before I would see her die.” 

“I wish her no harm,” Thor said. “And I would fight Thanos if he comes here, but if you try to give him the tesseract, I will fight you and I will stop you.” 

Loki waved his hand and the box disappeared. “If neither you nor Thanos can find the tesseract then the next move is mine.” 

“What do you plan to do?” 

“Something very clever.”


	28. Chapter 28

“Will you at least tell me of this clever plan so that I can help minimize the damage?” Thor asked. 

“Only if you promise me that you will allow me to see it through,” Loki replied. 

“I can not promise anything until you have told me what it is you plan to do.” 

“To begin with, I need Nebula’s ship.” Loki explained. “And I need to send a message to Thanos through Nebula. I think Stark can do that.” 

“As things stand now, SHIELD will not give the ship to you, not unless you plan to threaten them. What do you need a ship or message for unless you plan to run straight to Thanos?” 

Loki sighed. “Nebula thought you could be trusted. She thought that if I told you about the tesseract, you would help assist us in keeping it from Thanos. She thought you could be trusted and that if I told you the truth you would learn to trust me. Was she wrong about that?” 

“Loki, had you told me from the beginning that you had the tesseract, all of this would be much simpler. Tell me why you need the ship? What message do you wish to send?” 

Loki swallowed. If he told Thor his plan and Thor didn’t agree, it would make it nearly impossible to accomplish it. Could Thor truly be trusted with this information? “I wish to tell Thanos that I have the tesseract. That I have hidden it from him and I will never give it to him unless he lets Nebula go.” 

“And once he has freed her?” 

“He won’t free her at first. He will hurt her further to try and force my hand. Then I will send him coordinates where he can find the tesseract. It will be on board an empty ship with shields up and doors locked. Thanos will scan she ship and see that his stone is there. Then he will free Nebula. Once she is freed he will try to break into the ship. He will never find what he is looking for as the ship will jump into hyperspace before he can break down the shields. The ship will jump again and again to random places all over the galaxy, powered by the tesseract forever, so that Thanos can never find it.” 

“It is a good plan,” Thor admitted. “How will you convince Stark to play his part?” 

“I can either influence his mind with magic, or you can speak to him. He might listen to you.” 

“I’m not so sure he will. Stark doesn’t listen to anyone once he is convinced that he is right.” 

“So I should use magic on him after all?” Loki asked. 

Thor shook his head. “You should talk to him. Tony Stark is a man of learning. You have the wits to convince him more than I do.” 

“Wits will help very little if the man still hates me.” 

“That is because he does not know you. If he knew how wise you are, if knew what you did to save our people, to save Nebula…” Thor trailed off as if some important thought had occurred to him. “Do you suppose that Nebula’s eye or the cybernetic part of her brain contains her memories?” 

“Probably.” 

“I have an idea how we can show him you are worthy of our help.” Thor told Loki, very pleased with himself at the idea. 

*********************************

“It’s almost ready, we’re at the date and time you said we had to go to,” Tony said as he typed a little more into the computer. “Why are we doing this again?” 

“There is something you need to see,” Thor said simply. 

The screen on the wall changed from lines of code to a picture, a video, the view from Nebula’s eye as she walked down a dimly lit hallway. She went up a long set of stairs, down another hallway and entered a throne room.  
“You sent for me father?” Nebula said, approaching the throne.  
“The time has come to end this business with the Asgardian prisoner,” Thanos said.  
Bruce, Tony, and Thor all watched the scene that followed as Nebula’s jaw was torn from her body and Loki was told what his choices would be. The screen went dark as Nebula passed out from pain or from medication. When she next woke up, Loki was seated on the floor next to her holding her hand.  
“You’re awake,” Loki said, sounding relieved.  
Nebula tried to make a sound but only succeeded in a whimper of pain.  
“Don’t try to move. You’ll only hurt yourself further. And don’t look at me with those angry eyes. I do care if you’re hurt. You needn’t worry. This is the last time anything like this will happen. I will tell Thanos I will obey him. I won’t allow him to hurt you again to get to me. Not ever. I’ll obey him for now and someday I will find a way to make him suffer as you have and as I have. Someday he will pay for what he has done to you.” Loki said to her, as he held her hand tightly.  
The screen went dark as Nebula drifted back to sleep and the memory ended.  
“So why exactly did we need to see all the melodrama?” Tony asked.  
“So that you will believe his sincerity when I tell you of Loki’s plan,” Thor said. “He has the tesseract and he has a means of keeping it from Thanos but it will only work if you help him to save Nebula.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the change in text format. I am working on fixing it.

“As far as plans go,” Bruce Banner broke the tense silence that followed Thor’s words, “Loki’s plan kinda sort of...sucks…”  
“Yeah, it kind of does,” Tony agreed. “Thanos is too smart to not be able to eventually discover the algorithm controlling where the ship goes. It might take him years but he’d find it. And since Loki is the god of tricks and mischief, I can’t help but wonder if what he told you is his real plan.”  
“I had considered the possibility,” Thor said. “He might very well be trying to trick us. He might very well try to deliver the stone to Thanos no matter what we decide to do next, but I have seen for myself that his feelings for Nebula are genuine. If we do not help him we can be sure that he will never trust us again. Loki is powerful enough on his own that we do not want him as an enemy.”  
“Good point,” Banner said. “For what it’s worth, I’m in.”  
“Okay, I’ll help send the message to Thanos but I’m not having any more stuffy meetings with SHIELD to get the ship. Those people are a bunch of stuffed shirts, not fun at all except for Phil. I’m done with that.” Tony said.  
“Fine, I will find a way to procure the ship,” Thor agreed. “You need only send this message,” Thor passed Tony a thumb drive with the message Loki had recorded.  
*************************  
The pain had been continuous without a break for hours. Nebula would have given in, would have told Thanos everything he wanted to know if not for the fact that she couldn’t speak at all. She couldn’t even make a sound. Her mouth was open but no screams came out and Thanos wasn’t even there to hear her anyhow. He had left her alone, to think, he’d said and hadn’t returned.  
A ringing sound in her left ear began to take form and the louder it got, the more her pain dulled. The sound worried her. If her pain was about to end then Thanos would return and expect answers. The pain didn’t end though, it only dulled, and the vision in her cybernetic eye blurred as an image came into view. Loki. The image grew larger and larger until it projected out of her eye and onto the wall. A guard ran from the room to fetch Thanos.  
“Thanos,” Loki’s voice permeated the room. “I have come to offer you a trade. Release Nebula to me and I will give you the tesseract. I have it hidden. I will tell you where it is only when you have freed her. She has no knowledge of where it is now. Let her go and I will bring it to you.”  
“No…” Nebula choked out the word. Loki could not do this. He could not give the stone to Thanos, not even to save her. The recording began to play again. Nebula tried to stop it. She tried closing her eye. She tried covering her eye with her hand. She tried bashing her own head against the floor. Nothing made it stop. Then Thanos entered the room and saw it all.  
***************  
The console in Thor’s personal chambers lit up and he went to the console to see who was contacting him.  
“We did it,” Tony said. “The message went out. You’ve got everything in place to get the ship?”  
“I will have it tomorrow,” Thor said. He had gotten Klybe to help him with security codes so that he could take the ship himself if he had to.  
“The only thing I need is coordinates for the next message. Thanos is gonna wanna know where to pick up his big weapon.” Tony said.  
“I believe Loki had some place in mind.” Thor told him. “I will check and get back to you.”  
Thor wandered out of his chambers and down the corridor to Loki’s door. He knocked and didn’t get an answer. Thor knocked a second time, still nothing. He pushed the button to open the door. “Loki?”  
Loki’s chambers were empty. Thor went back to the console. “Ship, locate Loki please?”  
“Loki is not on board the ship.” The computer replied.


	30. Chapter 30

Tony Stark hadn’t gotten far from his computer screen when Thor messaged him back.   
“Loki is gone. Nebula is gone as well,” Thor said, frustrated.   
“I can’t say that I’m surprised. We need to get to Nebula’s ship before he does,” Tony said. “I’ll call Banner and the others. Meet us at SHIELD.”   
“Be careful Stark. I have no way of knowing what he truly plans.”   
“Noted,” Tony said as he suited up and left his lab.   
**************************

While Loki was invisible, Thor had done exactly what Loki expected he would do. All the Avengers were gone off to the SHIELD facility to look for him which meant that Stark’s lab was left unattended. He carried Nebula to the transporter beam and set the coordinates to Stark’s lab. 

The lab was empty. Loki found a table and put Nebula on it then he went to a computer. He didn’t know why the Avengers and Thor assumed he knew nothing about computers or human technology. He had observed a lot from the time he spent among them and knew that he learned quickly enough to find what he needed to know before they realized where he had truly gone. 

**********************

The pain dulled but everything was somehow worse for Nebula because Thanos had his hand on her face and was standing before her looking into her eye. She didn’t want him touching her, even if the touch was somehow part of a virtual computer reality. She hated having him this close.  
“The Asgardian is a fool if he thinks he can beat me with his tricks,” Thanos said. “You were with him recently. Once I find the signal I will go to him and make him give me what is mine.”  
“Loki is no fool,” Nebula said defiantly. “You underestimate him.”  
Thanos responded to that with a smile. “That’s where you are wrong. I’ve already found your signal. I found it hours ago. My ship is on the way to his ship even now.”  
“If you are so sure you’ve found him, what will you do with me?” Nebula asked.  
“You may go. When I return you to him, you will convince him to give me what is mine. He cares for you and will do as you ask. If not, when I next meet you, I will kill you, slowly.” Thanos said as everything around her started to go dark again.  
**********************  
Loki was still typing away in front of a computer and reading through line after line of code when he heard Nebula’s gasp on the table behind him. 

“You’re awake?” He got to his feet and went to her. 

“Loki? Where are we?” She tried to ask but couldn’t as he was hugging her too tightly. She decided she didn’t care where she was and hugged him in return. “This is Stark’s lab,” she realized after a moment. 

“Yes, he has been studying your code. Now I’m studying it. Are you alright? Did Thanos speak to you?” 

“I’m fine. He says he’s coming here, for you, for the stone.” she said. 

“I expected he would. That’s why we’re leaving. The only thing left to do is make sure that Thanos can never hack into your systems again.” 

“Where can we possibly run that he won’t find us?” 

“Nowhere,” Loki admitted freely. “We’ll run somewhere that he will find us. A place of our choosing to fight him.” 

“I thought you said we couldn’t beat him, not even Thor could beat him?” 

“Thor lost his hammer. Maybe if he still had it we’d have a chance. Which is why we are going to the world where the hammer was forged and getting my brother a new weapon. Thor will follow there whether he and his Avengers agree to it or not because I have the tesseract and I’m taking it with me.” Loki said. 

“With us,” Nebula corrected him. 

“With us,” Loki agreed.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I have been sick. I hope to be able to keep up momentum after this.

“He isn’t here,” Thor said, with a frustrated sigh. 

“Way to state the obvious,” Stark replied. 

“If he’s not here for the ship, maybe it’s just a matter of time,” Bruce pointed out. 

Thor nodded. “We should split up. Perhaps Loki will arrive later or perhaps he is looking for a way to free Nebula of Thanos control on his own.” 

**************************

“Loki what are you doing?” Sif’s voice interrupted Loki on the bridge of the ship. She glanced at Nebula. “And when did she wake up?” 

“An hour ago,” Loki replied, continuing to put coordinates in the ship’s computer. 

Sif regarded him warily. “Thor left two hours ago looking for you. Does he know you have returned?” 

“He’ll know soon enough,” Loki said getting to his feet. “When did Thor change the access codes?” 

“Two hours ago when he left the ship,” Sif’s straightened her stance, on the defensive. 

“And you know what the codes are,” Loki said. It wasn’t a question. 

“I have beaten you in combat before. You can not make me tell you,” Sif said. 

“I would say it was more of a draw,” Loki said, almost amused at her. “But you won’t need to tell me anything. You’ll tell her.” 

Nebula got to her feet ready to fight. Loki sat back down in the captain’s chair and spun it to face the rest of bridge. This was going to be a good fight. 

**************************

The first place Tony Stark went was back to his lab. “Yeah, he’s definitely been here,” Tony told Thor. 

“For what purpose?” Thor asked. 

“He sent a signal to Thanos,” Tony said. 

“If he offered to trade the tesseract…” Thor began, angry. 

“You can bet he did,” Tony turned to Thor. “The only place left for him to go now is Nebula’s ship or back to yours.” 

“We should go at once,” Thor said, heading back to the ship as quickly as possible.


End file.
